PREPARING FOR DEATH

Ephemeral Accomplishments In the first quarter of the twentieth century, the British Empire was at its zenith. In those times they built a new city (New Delhi) within the bounds of Delhi. It contained the Vice Regal Lodge, Parliament House, India Gate, grand official buildings, a network of broad avenues and beautiful parks, etc. This world of New Delhi in those days was so distinguished that it was regarded a ‘political Taj Mahal’. When this ‘political Taj Mahal’ was ready, it was visited by a French leader. He was very well read. He knew that the world had seen a democratic revolution and that, like other empires, the British Empire too was certainly going to come to an end one day. Therefore, he expressed himself in these words: “What a magnificent world they have built to leave.” This is the story of everyone in this world, with the sole difference that some built small castles and others built big castles. The end of this magnificent ‘political Taj Mahal’ was that British rulers finally left it on August 15, 1947. The same end awaits all humans. Certainly the time is going to come for everyone when, all alone, they will have to leave this world leaving their castles behind them. This happening takes place before us each and every day. But no one learns anything from this. Everyone is living as if whatever has happened with others, will not happen with them. Whether or not one expresses this in words, it is a fact that in this matter every one has exempted themselves although the reality is that no exemption will be made for any human being. Old Age, Death Man is born into this world as an infant. Passing through various stages, he reaches adolescence. Then he grows old and finally within a period of a hundred years he dies. It happens to all human beings— compulsory aging after adolescence and afterwards inevitable death. This is the story of every individual whether he is rich or poor, ruler or ruled. Man appears to be invested with powers. But in the matter of death he is totally powerless, just as an earthquake comes all of a sudden governed by the unilateral laws of nature; similarly, death too comes from the Creator on a unilateral basis. Man has no say in this matter. One who sees his own death in the death of others is truly alive. A living person does not wait to undergo a fatal experience and only then learn a lesson from it.